Casket protector



Y ll ,454,427

May 8, 1923.

G. A. CUNNING GASKET PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov, 3,

@Hoang May s, 19213. 1,454,421

G. A. CUNNING GASKET PROTECTOR Filed Nov, s, 1921 2 sheets-shut 2 Patented May 8, 1923.

GEORGE A. CUNNING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GASKET PROTECTOR.

VApplication filed November 3, 1921.v Serial No. 512,489,

T 0 aZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. CUNNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket Protectors, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to a v.transparent covering adapted to be placed overcaskets of various types. Heretofore in the art it has been thev practice of casket manufacturers and undertakers to exhibit their wares in .show rooms wherein the caskets are usually on exhibition with the lid portions thereof raised, exposing the interiors of the caskets. These caskets are of course generally lined with very expensive materials, very often being light in color, and it has been appreciated by those skilled in the art that after a short period of exhibition the interiors of the caskets become so soiled that they cannot be disposed of, but on the other hand must be relined, or refinished before sale. This is particularly true of the lighter colored upholstery, which are very easily soiled. The outer coverings of the caskets are often made of colored broadcloths, silk plush, etc., and like the interior linishings of the caskets these materials possess the property of collecting` dirt and soon become so soiled that they are even useless for exhibition purposes.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive transparent cov- .ering which may be applied to any type of casket for the purpose of protecting both the interior and exterior of the casket while the saine is on exhibition,

lith this conception in mind the invention primarily consists of a detachable transparent paper covering which may be made in sections or otherwise, and when applied to a casket surrounds the exterior walls and overlies and completely encloses the upholstered interior of the casket which is usually composed of very expensive silks, and would ordinarily become soiled after only slight display.

It is manifest that with such a transparent covering any casket on display could be immediately disposed of in view of the fact that the said casket has not become useless by being soiled.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown the invention as applied `to a single type of casket known as the full hinged top type, but it will be `distinctly understood .that the covering is adapted for use inconnection with any other well known type of casket, it being" appreciated that when applied tofcertain other types of caskets the construction of the covering must necessarily be slightlychanged.

In thev drawings, Figure l represents a view of a full open top casket with the detachable covering applied.

Figures 2 and 3 represent detail views of the covering perse, and Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail sectional views of parts of the protector.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, the numeral l designates the body of a casket having the full top 2 hinged thereto. This casket may or may not be provided with the usual girdle 3 for holding` the top in a raised position.-

As will be observed this .casket is one of the type having an outer covering of broadcloth, plushor like material Ll. The interiorl of the casket is of course lined with expensive silk or other equivalent materials which may be of any color, in keepingwith the desires of a purchaser. f

Ordinarily when on display the top of each casket is raised so that a prospective purchasercan immediately inspect the interior thereof. `As has been pointed out, in a short period of time the collection of dirt, dust, etc., on the upholstery renders the casket incapable of being sold or otherwise disposed of or can only be used for show pur-l poses. This of course resultsvin the loss of excessive amoiunts of money each year to casket manufacturers and undertakers. It is the purposeof this invention to provide a transparent covering which may be applied to any type of casket to protect both the outer coverings and the upholstery from dirt, dust and the like, and at the same time permit a prospective purchaser to clearly see the upholstery and coverings of the casket.

Vith this in mind, my invention contemplates the provision of a transparent body 6, having a top flap 7 overlying the body of the casket, with depending parts 8, 9 and 10 surrounding one front and two end walls thereof. The covering surrounding the end wall 10 is slit to provide the flap l1 which passes under the girdle 3 so that the body portion of the transparent cover tightly and snugly fits the casket. To protect the interior lining,` oit the top of the casket as well as the exterior broadcloth covering` I provide a transparent protector having a. front portion l2 fitting over the covering ot the interior ot the lid, and a rear portion 13 ot a depth greater than the front )ortion l2 adapted to extend over the surface of the lid and down along; the rear side ol the body oic the casket to the bottom thereof. The front flap 1Q ot the transparent material may be connected to the portion 7 overlying` the body ot' the casket by means of snaps le, which are passed through reinforced portions ot the detachable covering'. It will be understood that these snaps need not always be employed, and in lieu of snaps any ccnvenient type of fastening means may be used` The protector is shown as being composed ot two parts, and I have discovered that transparent paper is a very eliicient material tor manufacturing the same. rIhis naterial is ot course inexpensive, and while it is the preferred form ot material trom which the protector is made, it will be appreciated that such transparent materials as Celluloid, isinglass, transparent cloths, etc., may be used in makingthe protector. As a matter ot' fact any transparent substance with the eziception ot glass may be used in the construction ot my protector.

It will also be understood that the construction ot the protector is subject to many changes in keeping with the type ot casket that it is desired to protect. For instance', with certain types ot halt couch casliets or removable panel caslrets, the protector may be made in a single piece adapted to completely overlie and enclose all exposed portions of the casket.

Having thus described my invention, what, I claim is:

l. ik protector for caskets composed or' a body portion having an upper wall, two end walls and a side wall adapted to slip over the body of a casket, one oit said end walls having a hinged flap, and a cover pro- 2. A protector Yfor caslrets composed ot` a body portion having; an upper wall, two end walls and a side wall adapted to slip over the bot y ot a casket, one of said end walls having` a hinged flap, and a cover provided with an elongated rear portion adapted to extend from the upper edge ot' a raised cover ot the casket to the lower portion oit the casket body, said cover protector also having a downwardly extending 'forward part tormin?,y between the saine and the rear wall ot the protector a pocket titting` the Collin closure, and detachable means tor unitingv the body protector and the cover protector together, both of said protectors being composed oi' transparent material, and having reinforcements extending around the iree edges thereof.

3. A transparent protector for caslrets comprising a body protector oit transparent material having a top wall, one side wall and end walls, one ot said end walls being provided fith a flap ll, a cover protector formed with a rear wall 13, and a short front wall l2, said rear wall beingv adapted to cover the rear portion of the casket and the outer surface ol the casket closure, while the front wall protects the inner surface ot said closure, and detachable fastening devices carried by the front wall ot said cover protector adapted to cooperate with fasteners on the top wall ol the body protector.

In testimony whereo't' I affix mysignature.

GEGRGE A. CUNNING. 

